Something Less
by Sara6
Summary: Lana can't look away. (Lex/Clark slash)


Title: Something Less  
  
Author: Sara  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Category: Clark/Lex, Chloe/Lana  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Lana can't look away.  
  
Note: I was trying so hard not to get sucked into this fandom. Damn it.  
  
Sometimes, Lana pretends she doesn't see. Mostly when she's with Clark, but sometimes she's alone and thinking and she just can't take it, can't stop thinking about it. Then she closes her eyes and thinks about anything else. Cheerleading. Homework. Chloe.  
  
It's raining today, in Smallville. It came on unexpectedly, soaking the pedestrians strolling the main drag, driving them into the shelter of The Beanery, where Clark had promised to meet her. He had said seven o'clock, but now it's fifteen after and she's tired of waiting. Her raspberry hot chocolate is already half-gone and cooling rapidly. She saw Lex outside half an hour ago, and she has a theory that maybe Clark ran into Lex and got sidetracked.  
  
That happens a lot.  
  
Lana tries not to think about it.  
  
***  
  
She's still friends with Whitney. It wasn't a bad breakup. After all, she was growing up, and Whitney was thinking about going to college out of state, and it was pretty much inevitable anyway. So when they see each other in the hallway, they say hello, exchange pleasantries, and move on.  
  
Clark caught her on the rebound. A fragile moment (she was having less of those lately) where she was dwelling on school and work and loneliness, and Clark just happened to be there, dropping off produce. He spoke softly, offered her a shoulder to lean on, and told her everything would be alright. She invited him in for dinner, they talked. A week later, she was Clark Kent's girlfriend.  
  
***  
  
About a month ago, Lana and Clark ran into Lex after school. Lex gave her an enigmatic smile and asked if he could borrow Clark for a bit; Clark smiled apologetically and got into Lex's Porsche. Lex drove away, and Lana knew she had been left behind in more ways than one.  
  
When she walked over to Clark's that evening, Martha said that Clark was in the barn with Lex. Lana went to say hello, but stopped at the doorway. Faint scrabbling sounds emanated from above her; a whispered "Lex" echoed through the air, the x sound so drawn out it was almost obscene. A flannel shirt hung from one of the rungs of the ladder. The air felt heavy. Lana couldn't breathe.  
  
She left without saying a word.  
  
The next day, Clark brought her a little teddy bear with a red bow around its neck. When she asked why, he said that he had just been thinking about her.  
  
Lana smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Clark closed his eyes when she did it.  
  
***  
  
It's seven twenty five. It's still raining. Clark still hasn't arrived.  
  
***  
  
They're all friends now: the ex-cheerleader, the reporter, the bench- warming football player, the displaced millionaire. All connected by an awkward farm boy with a beautiful smile and a heart of gold.  
  
Lana sees how Lex looks at Clark, with a hunger so fierce he can barely hide it. Clark lowers his eyelashes and looks away, then buys Lana another drink. Chloe looks at the three of them as if she's trying to figure something out; Lana knows she'll get it sooner or later. Pete is oblivious in a charming way. Lana likes him, but she likes Chloe more. She isn't quite sure what that means.  
  
***  
  
Lana doesn't like stuffed animals as a general rule. She has a small army of them now, grouped on her window sill. Clark brings her a new one about once a week, usually the day after she calls and he's over at Lex's, or hanging out with Lex, or off "studying in the barn."  
  
She tries not to think about what that means.  
  
***  
  
Seven thirty. Lana is tired of waiting. She's finished her drink, and the girl at the piano is playing something deeply mournful and steadily more annoying. It's time to go.  
  
She walks out into the rain, resigning herself to getting soaked. The pavement is a riot of splashing drops, and she almost slips, steadying herself against the wall of the café. Over the wet slap of the rain, she hears a familiar voice in the alley.  
  
Lana really, really doesn't want to look.  
  
Clark, up against the wall, held there by the sleek figure of Lex. Clark's breath coming out in harsh pants that are suddenly all Lana can hear. Rough hands pulling at the dark fabric of Lex's jacket, curving around Lex's neck, pulling him closer. Clark's head thrown back against the shining brick, his eyes shut at Lex sucks at his collarbone, hands invisible beneath Clark's shirt, tugged up to reveal a fraction of tanned skin.  
  
Lana can't look away.  
  
It hasn't been easy, not seeing. Knowing when to laugh it off and when to look away, when to ignore, when to deny. She's gotten pretty good at it, she has. Now that she sees, she wants to close her eyes again. She wants to turn away, to look at the street, the sky, the cars sliding by. She wants to laugh. She wants to cry. She wants another raspberry hot chocolate.  
  
She goes back inside The Beanery. The music isn't annoying anymore. She orders her drink and sits down.  
  
A few minutes later, Chloe comes in. She's breathless, and when she sees Lana, she looks almost guilty. Shaking off the excess water in her hair, she practically runs to Lana's side and sits next to her.  
  
"Lana." Chloe starts, then just looks at her.  
  
Lana blinks and sighs softly.  
  
Chloe takes in her appearance, the slightly wet hair, the flushed cheeks, the shining eyes. Suddenly, she understands. "You know, don't you?"  
  
Chloe puts her hand on Lana's knee.  
  
Lana doesn't need to answer. She feels better already.  
  
End  
  
12/8/01 


End file.
